Mayor Beng Climaco revealed the other day that the city government had already identified an area in Cabatangan where to establish the proposed evacuation center, but funds for the purpose will have to come from the national government.

However, Climaco said in case of disaster the city’s nearly one million people cannot be put in one evacuation center, thus the local government has allocated in its 2019 budget certain amount for the purchase of modular tents and mobile toilets to be distributed to hazard areas.

She said the budget also includes the purchase of other equipment that will respond to the needs of people during emergency situations in subsidiary evacuation centers.

In the meantime, the mayor believes that the city government needs to lobby from the national government for the allocation of funds needed for the establishment of an evacuation center in Cabatangan.

For his part, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) Zamboanga Officer-in-Charge Engr. Allan Labayog said the disaster preparedness should be a two-way street with local government and families both undertaking measures to be ready to respond to disasters and calamities.

Engr. Labayog pointed out the need for families to equip themselves with information and knowledge on preparedness as a complement to the local government’s own efforts on disaster preparedness and response.

“The government is preparing for it and at the same time, individually, as a family, we should be prepared, so that hinde lang todo de govierno,” Labayog said.

Climaco said various disaster preparedness efforts are continuously being undertaken by the city government including regular drills and training and geo-hazard mapping to guide barangays and the government in putting up facilities and establishments.-(Vic Larato)